Shoe-tip stiffener



J. F. JONAS SHOE TIP STIFFENER Filed Julyl, 1925 Aug. 9, 1927.

Patented Aug. 9, 1927.

JACOB F; JONAS, OF BELLEVUE, KENTUCKY.

, SHOE-TIP STIFIENEIB.

Application fi'led Jui i, 1925. serial-m5.- 40,889.

This invention relates generally to the shoe cart, and is particularly directed to method and means for reinforcing or stilteningthe forward or tip portion of a shoe upper,ithe term boxing used hereafter being generally indicative of the mater al used, and the result obtained by such stifiening process.

Anobject of the invention is particularly to provide a boxing of the proper rigidity, in which the upper free rear crosswise edge of the insert stiffening material will not rub the footof the wearer, this object being herein accomplished by substantially taper ing or thinning that portion of the'boxing adjacent theistitching line or vamp and tip, by relatively offsetting layers or stiffening material lengthwise of the shoe and crosswise of said upper rear portion oriree edge of the. boxing, to provide a feather edge.

, Another object is to prevent curling of the material at the rear crosswise or free edge ofthe boxing, which pbject accomplished by providing a boxing composed of a plurality of substantially overlapped relativelynthin layers, sections, or lannnations of hard flexible material, between which overlapped sections are also overlappingly interposed sheets of padding orlining ma- 0 terial which are extended beyondjthe upper rear edges, of thestifi-ener sections adjacent the tapered, Zone or, port on of the boxing.

Another object is to provide for a' certain degree of adjustment or sliding ot the layers of the boxing. one upon the other tor obtaining ,a certain flexibil ty of the boxing and preventing buckling of the layers, all

' without sacrifice, of proper rigidity, this object being-accomplished by using sections of stiffening material having smooth polished surfaces, and interposing cloth or padding sections therebetween and t-hereagainst.

Other objects and advantages appear n the description of the drawing forming part of this specification and in saicl clrawing:

Figure 1 is a medial longitudinalvertical section of the boxing herein,incorporated in a'sho'e, only-the vamp and toeor gi orward portion of the shoe being illustrated.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the upper reinforcingor stiffen ng section, showing in dot and dash lines, the position of the lower reinforcing or stifiener section as superposed relative thereto.

FigureB is a plan view of the lower'stif fener section.

Thelboxing or stiiiening elements herein comprise a plurality of sections of sheets of stifl or hard flexible surfaced material, preferably celluloid or similar substance, the length of the respective sections along the longitudinal medial 1 line and laterally at each side of such line, differing from one another, the sections being relatively offset longitudinally when attached in'the shoes, in a manner to providea tapered or feather edge portion converging rearwardly toward the bending zone otthe shoe,and ending adjacent the connecting line between vamp and tip. The sections are substantially over: lappingly superposed and-are-separated from one another and from the outer leather layer of the shoe and foot of the user, by suitable-interposed linings, in addition to the regular common inner or second, and outer or firstlinings. The upper or rearward crosswise edge of the one section lies substantially beneath the line of stitching connecting-the tip and vamp and; the upper or rearward crosswise edge of another section lies ,below and forwardly of the upper edge of theouter section, thus offsetting the upper edge of thesect-ionsto avoid thicken- 'ing at the bending zoneof theushoe. The thickness of theboxing at the free edge is thus gradually reduced or convergently tapered as it approaches the bending line of the shoe.- x I -The numeral 1 indicates the outer fabric or leather. layer,:2 the toe-or tip'section as a part of the vamp, 3 .the outer or first lining, 4 the inner orsecond lining, 5 the insole, 6 the welt and 7 the out-sole, all of which elementsare similar to those of an ordinary shoewin respect to form and manner of attachment,

My. improved stiffening means includes an outer section leer flexible stiffening material, such as celluloid or like substance, having; smooth faces, which section isre resented vin Figure 2 in the form of a su stantially curvilinear triangular blank, havinganattaching or stitching edge 11v of the configurationshown, with the realcrosswise edge-12 convexly curved as a means for obtaining a" relative longitudinal offsetting of thesections as herebelow described. This section or layer is adapted to lie against the first lining 3 with its edgesubstantially beneath or extending slightly rearwardly be- I yond the stitching 8, connecting the vamp and tip.

7 cavely curved as at 16 along its rear edge to provide as shown in Figure 2, a longitudinal offset relative to the upper section, when the sections are attached in the shoe, the offset tapering laterally from each side of the medial line toward the attaching ends of the sections. The offsetting of the section'savoidsthickening of the stiffener means between the first and second linings near the stitching line between the vamp and tip, and adjacent that portion of the shoe which is bent in'walking. The lining 17 is interposed between the inner and outer layers or sec+ tions 15, 10, and a lining 18 is interposed between the second lining 4 and the layers or sections 15. The thickness of the ensemble of layers thus decreases or converges on approach to the bending line or zone of the .shoe, and greater flexibility of the boxing adjacent that zone is obtained. The stiffener, however, has sufficient rigidity to pre vent buckling orfalling at thetoe portion.

The linings 17 and 18 are substantially the shape of the outer stiffening section 10 and, therefore, the lower lining 18 overlaps the free edge of the lower section 15, and the two linings 17,18, meet below the outer or rearward overlapping edge of the section 10, and form with the inner lining, 'a three-ply cushionbetween the rear end of the upper or outer stiffener 10 and the foot of the wearer, the free edge of the lower stiffener being in turn covered by thelinings 4c and 18.

The tapered or offset relation is shown clearly in-Figure 1 in which it will be noted thatthe ensemble of stiffener sections including the two linings 17 18, convergently taper from the upper inner end of the lower 7 stiffener 15 to a point substantially beneath the stitching line between the vamp and tip and adjacent the bending zone of the shoe upper. The upper edge of each stiffener section is prevented from coming in contact with the foot of the wearer in one instance by three layers of lining and in the other by two layers.

" A stiffener is thus provided of required rigidity with the upper free rear edgesubstantially tapered or thinned in a direction lengthwise of the shoe and held by linings from curling to rub the foot of the wearer.

The use of thin sheets of smooth surfaced stiffening material toform a laminated structure consisting of alternate sections of stiffening and padding material and the varying lengths medially of the sections of stiffening material provide a means or method by which the thickness of the 'boxingmay be increased where most needed, without the formation of a decided ridge at the bending zone of the shoe and rear of the boxing.

This constructionalso provides a toe portion of unusual flexibility, particularly adjacent the stitching line between the vamp and tip and throughout the zone into which the foot of the wearer projects. A greater number of layers of both characters may be used as required.

In shoes which do not employ a special tip piece 2, the uppermaterial extends, or

continues to the sole. In such construction of shoe a plurality of stiffener of correspond ing outline following the shape as shown for one of the stiffener layers Fig. '8 having the convexly curved edge 16 are employed but of different length longitudinally to provide for the overlapping of layers .at the convex edge, with the fibre layer therebetween and underside of the lower or innermost stiffener layer.

Having thus described my invention, what:

I claim is:

1. In ashoe, structure adaptedto be interposed between the linings of a shoe vamp comprising, a plurality'of superposed stiffener layers of flexible sheet material of appropriatetip pattern outline, a first layer thereof having a I lateral end ofcon'v'ex outline and a second layer having a corresponding end of concave outline causing the first to over-lap the'sec- 0nd, and a fibrous layer interposed between said stiffener layers correspondingin pattern outline to said first stiffenerlayerf 2. In a shoe, a tip stiffener of composite structure adapted to be interposed between a tip stiffener of composite the linings of a shoe vamp comprising, a i

plurality of superposed stiffener layers of celluloid sheet material of appropriate'relative different tip outline, the layers respec.- tively having convex and concave ends for off-setting the same adjacent the line of V stitching the tip to the vamp, and alayer of fibrous material interposed between said stiffener layers. Y 7

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

' JACOB F. Jonas.- 

